Dance Central 2

Posted: 10/14/11

Dance Central 2 Review

Though it was perhaps the sole contender among the Kinect's mostly sorry crew of launch games, Dance Central returns to the streets in just a little under a year for another shot at the top spot. Bringing a fresh new set of moves, music, and mechanics to the mix, Dance Central 2 looks every bit the hit the original was. Does it manage to step up the beat?

When it comes to the basic business of boogying, Dance Central 2 features a trim set of modes that players familiar with the original should be well acquainted with. While it still doesn’t come close to the kind of breadth you'd find in other Harmonix games, it’s clear that the team’s been busy at work in the studio crafting a sequel that’s ultimately better than the sum of its parts.

Besides letting you jump into any one of the game’s 40-something tracks through the default dance and fitness options, Dance Central 2 also introduces the option to partake in the all new crew challenge, a campaign-style mode which tasks you with earning the respect of some of the flyest fictional dance crews on the block. Haters may not see much past some of the very obvious window dressing, but what’s noteworthy here is the series’ first time support for simultaneous two-player action--a major gameplay improvement from the inconvenient turn-switching method utilized in the first game.

Taking on the crew challenges with a pal is a welcome feature that finally adds a substantive cooperative element to the series. But when it comes to serving up fools on the dance floor, Dance Central 2’s upgraded two-player support also dovetails into a completely revamped dance battle mode sporting new improvisational breaks, drop-in and drop-out play, as well as the same side-by-side action featured in the campaign. Far from an afterthought, Dance Central 2's multiplayer elements are one of its biggest selling points.

Whether you’re grooving, moving, bumping, or jiving, Dance Central 2’s diverse selection of cuts and choreography continues to showcase Harmonix’s knack for musical matchmaking. But if you find yourself having trouble hitting those disco windmills, the game’s upgraded "Break it Down" feature adds a few new handy features that make the learning process a lot less cumbersome. Now, you can utilize voice commands to navigate the menu, select specific moves to practice instead of running through a whole routine, and even tape yourself ambling through a move to review upon playback.

It all adds up to a sequel that may not tread much new ground from the original, but definitely does its duty to improve on the foundation already set in place. Import the songs from the first game and some DLC tracks on the side, and you’ve got the definitive Dance Central at your disposal--at least until the record spins once again.

By simply asking you to move your body in time with the music, Dance Central 2 stages a unique rhythm experience on Kinect that doesn’t market in directional arrows, mats, or anything else that may potentially cramp your style. The key difference here is its focus on discrete body movement over the gesture-based motion controls employed by other games. When and where you park your limbs accounts entirely for your score, which can be an especially challenging given the complexity of the choreography the game throws your way.

This particular emphasis on accuracy certainly demands some measure of commitment, but it’s also what makes the Dance Central experience so satisfying in the first place. Nail a hot step, and you feel like you’ve definitely earned it. But should your electric slide somehow go horribly astray, the game doesn’t miss an opportunity to make a note of it by highlighting offending appendages with a red glow for you to check yourself before you wreck yourself. The tough love that the game dishes out can sometimes be harsh, but is ultimately a pretty convincing evaluation of what you’re doing right and wrong at any given time. At the very least, it’s good to know that something stirring within the Kinect is paying close attention to your moves--even if they inevitably aren’t always on point.

That said, the actual dancing feels as good as ever, and may even be just a bit more forgiving of your rhythmic transgressions than the first. Neophytes jumping into the game’s intuitive flashcard notations for the first time may come away surprised at their own performance, even on the game’s default medium setting. Meanwhile, seasoned b-boys and b-girls will definitely appreciate the game’s new simultaneous two-player support, along with some advanced choreography that continues to hit just as hard as ever. In terms of pure mechanics, Dance Central 2 maintains the veritable street cred of its predecessor all while tossing in a fresh new two-step of its own. After cutting a rug in front of the Kinect, you’d be hard pressed to do it any other way.

With a flair for the stupendous and some of the phattest jams around, Dance Central 2 lays bare its style with fresh visuals and an earnest reverence for the music. From the transforming neon backdrops to the comic-styled characters comprising each uniquely-themed crew, the game definitely shows some impressive effort when it comes to the defining its distinct visual identity. Even the slightest touches, such as the reassuring bell ring signifying a successful dance move, add tiny accents of detail to a game seemingly filled to the brim with them. Simply put, when it comes to dope beats and crisp production values, Harmonix definitely still knows how to put on a good show.

Even though it's more of a remix than a revolution, Dance Central 2’s improved modes, multiplayer options, and base functionality make it difficult for anyone fond of the first game to pass up. Nimbly straddling the line between technical and accessible, the series continues to be one of the best dancing games out there, if not one of the best games on Kinect period. If it seems time to shake off some of the dust, don’t hesitate to break out the cardboard and bust a move.

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